They had been on the long road for four days now. While passing through places where the rains had played truant the carts kicked up dust and the women remained cloistered in their covered carts. Even Ratnavali who would have loved to put on men's breeches and ride along with Randhir on horseback, did not have much will to do so while travelling through the pancake-flat stark terrain. Fortunately for them a passing shower settled the dust and cooled the air, making their journey pleasant.

Sensing the women's mood Randhir decided to stop for the afternoon meal in the shade of an ancient banyan tree close to an equally old temple. It was a beautiful spot; with a lotus pond in full bloom close by. There were whoops of joy from the women as they admired the location. Without warning Ratna jumped off the cart and sped off toward the pond, her simian baby perched on the shoulder and clinging to her odhni desperately. 

Anokhi helped Sanyukta step down gently while Randhir asked his men to water and feed the horses. The maids busied themselves fetching water from the nearby well and setting up a temporary hearth in the shade to prepare the midday meal. "This is so surreal! I did not know such beauty existed in Rajputana!" Sanyukta remarked. 

"Watch what you say around the maids, Sanyu. Have you forgotten that you are supposed to be a local?" Anokhi cautioned her. 

"Baisa, come back here, we have to visit the temple first!" She called out to Ratna who was busy splashing around in the pond. "Just a bit longer! Jija, why don't you come here too? " Ratna yelled back. 

The sight of the water in the pond scared Ruma who began to  panic and Ratna put her down on the ground nearby. The monkey sat on the dried grass with a confused expression, watching the girl enjoying herself while wading knee deep in the wet mud. 

  When Ratna ignored her calls Ruma began exploring the vegetation around her, her eyes still riveted on her human mother. Suddenly there was a commotion, bringing Ratna back to her senses and she turned around to see Randhir, with his sword in hand, fighting off a large raptor that was trying to carry off the baby monkey.

 If Randhir had not responded spontaneously the little frightened creature would have been whisked away by the predatory bird as effortlessly as a ragdoll. Ratna dug her heels into the dried ground and raced toward the shivering animal, grabbing her and trying to calm her down.

"Some mother you are! Didn't anyone tell you that motherhood is a full time job?" Randhir snapped at Ratna just as Anokhi rushed to the scene. Randhir's sudden outburst upset Ratna and her tears began to flow freely, stressing the baby monkey further. 

"She's only a child, Devarji sa! Let me take her away!" Anokhi led the weeping girl to the well and asked the maid to help her wash up. Later the three women joined Randhir for a visit to the shrine. The stone interiors of the temple were surprisingly cool due to ingenious architecture and the presence of a water source closely. The priest returned some of the fruit offered by them as prasad.

They surveyed the temple before returning to the shade where the cooking was nearly done. Randhir joined his men for lunch and the women sat down to their meal with the maids. Having gotten over her trauma Ruma nibbled at the banana Ratna shared with her. The maids wound up after lunch and lay down for a siesta while Anokhi and Sanyukta followed Ratna back to the temple courtyard where the air was cooler. 

"Look's like she is still upset, Jija! She had her back to him all the time." Sanyukta remarked.

"She'll still young, she'll get over it. In any case, it was a lesson well learnt . Have you noticed that she won't put Ruma down even for a minute?" Anokhi gestured toward Ratna.

"I never knew she'd beat me to it!" Sanyukta and Anokhi smiled knowingly at each other. Sanyukta had a few more months to go before her baby was born but Ratna was already learning how to be a responsible mother.

"Jija, do you know the story of the Kiradu temples near Barmer?" Ratna asked, sitting down next to them. She had managed to lull Ruma to sleep.

"I've only heard about them, apparently a sage put a curse on the people of the village. The locals believe that any person who spends the night there is turned to stone." Anokhi had barely spoken when Randhir joined them.

"Such legends are only meant to scare superstitious people. Those  temples may have become ruins after the village around it was destroyed by invading foreigners. Ladies, if you don't mind it is time for us to get on with our journey. We have a good distance to cover before we stop for the night." He led the three women outside to the waiting cart.

"You can ride with me if you wish!" He told Ratna who declined the offer by nodding her head, looking strange with the ghoonghat over her face as she got into the cart. Randhir was amused to see her imitate the other women in her effort to avoid looking at him. 

"Bhabhiji sa, about Ratna..." He could not finish his sentence for being interrupted by Anokhi.

"Don't worry Devarji sa, we'll take care of her. I understand, she is a pampered child.'' She assured him.

Back in the cart the women grew drowsy and took a brief nap until the sun had almost set. Ratna drew back the curtain wanting to view the sunset but the moment she spotted Randhir she closed it again.

"He does care about you, and you know that!" Sanyukta said to her.

"Everybody knows I care for Ruma. How was I to know that bird would try to take her away?" Ratna had found a way to unburden her mind. She had never been scolded or told off for being irresponsible and her pride was hurt.

"Think about it! If he had not rushed to her rescue would you be holding Ruma now? He worries about you like a father does for a child who is likely to hurt herself unless warned!" Sanyukta could hardly believe she was saying this to Ratna. Just a few days ago she had been hurt to know that Randhir had taken another bride.

"You are only taking his side because there's something between the two of you that I cannot share!" Ratna bristled, taking Sanyukta by surprise. They rode in silence for some time before Anokhi stepped in to save the situation by narrating funny anecdotes.

"How is it possible that she is jealous, Jija? Surely she is not old enough to feel envy!" Sanyukta whispered to Anokhi after dinner when Ratna was out of earshot.

"I think her reasons don't center around sexuality yet, but she is sharp enough to notice things about the way he treats you, especially when you get to spend the night in his tent."

"You mean she wants him to pay more attention to her?" Sanyukta voiced her doubt.

"Maybe a little like siblings resenting a parent if they think the other child is getting more attention." Anokhi explained, just before they sat down to their dinner.

Randhir had asked the guards to hunt some game for roasting and after it was done they shared the meat around.

"Are you sure, Baisa? This is cooked so perfectly it is falling off the bone!" Anokhi tempted Ratna, who was losing her resolve to avoid eating the meat. She relented after some more coaxing.

"You know he got the meat roasted specially for you!" She reminded Ratna, who said nothing.

That night in the tent Ratna slept flanked by Anokhi and her maid. Ruma slumbered in her sling.

Randhir was hardly in the mood to talk  after Sanyukta entered his tent. 

"The liquor makes you quite insatiable!" She whispered as he continued to nibble her bare skin. Being in his arms was like an unexpected trip to paradise. "These babies are already bigger!" He said, teasing her nubs and she moaned with pleasure.

"I think Ratna is growing up quickly." She told him about the girl's behaviour.  

"Wow, soon I am going to be the bone of contention between two women!" He laughed. 

"You wish!" She retorted. In response he simply sealed her lips with his. For the lovers the heady night was still very young.